hurtful or preiudiciall to the estates of the Prince or common welth For these and such like causes beeing of great weight charge and importaunce the King by the aduise of his councel may call summon his high Court of Parlement and by the authoritie therof establish and order such good Lawes and orders as then shal be thought moste expedient and necessary The order and manner how to summon the Parlement THe King ought to send out his writs of summons to all the estates of his Realme at least forty dayes before the beginning of the Parlement First to all his Lords and Barons that is to wit Archbishops Bishops Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicountes and Barons and euery of these must haue a speciall writ then to the Clergie and the writ of their summons must be addressed to euery perticuler Bishop for the Clergie of his diocesse all these writs which are for the Clergie the King alwaies sendeth to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York by them they are sent and dispersed abrode to euery perticuler Bishop within their seuerall prouinces and so the Bishops giue summons to the Clergie Lastly for the summoning of the Commons hée sendeth his writ to the Lord warden of the fiue portes for the election of the Barons therof and to euery seuerall Shiriffe for the choice and election of Knights Citizens and Burgesses within his countie How and what persons ought to be chosen for the Clergie and of their allowaunces THe Bishop ought vpon the receipt of the writ sent vnto him for the sumoning of his Clergie forthwith to summoÌ„ and warne all deanes and Archdeacons within his diocesse to appéer in proper person at the Parlement vnlesse they haue some sufficient and resonable cause of absence in whiche cace he may appéer by his Proctor hauing a warrant or proxie for the same Then must he also send the like summons to the Deane and Chapter of his Cathedrall Churche who shall foorthwith assemble their Chapter and make choice of some one of them selues to appéer in their behalf and this man thus chosen must haue thrir commission or proxie He must also send out his summons to euery Archdeaconry and peculier requiring that the whole Clergie doo appéer before him his ChauÌ„celler or Officer at a certain day time and place who béeing so assembled shall make choice and election of two men of the said Clergie to appéer for them and these shall haue their commission or proxie for the same These Proctors thus to be chosen ought to be graue wise and learned men béeing professors either of Diuinitie or of the ecclesiasticall Lawes and that can wil and be able to dispute in cause of controuersie conuincing of heresies appeasing of Scismes and deuising of good and godly constitutions concerning true Religion and orders of the Church These Proctors thus elected ought to haue resonable allowances for their charges according to the state qualitie or condition of the person as also a respect had to the time the proctors of the Dean and Chapter are to be paid out of the Eschequer of the Cathedrall Churche The Proctors of the Clergie are to be paid of the Clergie among whome a collection is to beleuied for the same according to an olde order vsed among them How and what maner of Knights Citizens and Burgesses ought to be chosen and of their alowances THe Sheriffe of euery Countie hauing receiued his writê ought foorthwith to send his precepts summons to the Maiors Bayliffes and hed Officers of euery Citty Town corporate Borough and such places as haue béen accustomed to send Burgesses within his Countie that they doo choose and elect among them selues two CitizeÌ„s for euery Citty two Burgesses for euery Borough according to their olde custome and vsage And these hed Officers ought then to assemble them selues and the Alder men and commen councel of euery Citty or Town to make choice among them selues of two able and sufficient men of euery Citty or Town to serue for and in the said Parlement Likewise at the next Countie day to be holden in the said Countie after the receipt of this writ the Sheriffe ought openly in the Court of his Shéer or Countie betwéen the houres of viij and .ix. of the fore noon make Proclamation that euery frée holder shall come into the Court and choose two sufficient men to be Knightê for the Parlement then he must cause the writ to be openly and distinctly read whervpon the said frée holders then and there present ought to choose two Knights accordingly but he him self cannot giue any voice neither be chosen These elections a forsaid so past and doon there ought to be seuerall Indentures made betwéen the Sheriffe the frée holders of the choise of the knights and betwéen the Maior and the hed Officers of euery perticuler Cittie Town of the choice of their Citizens and Burgesses and of their names of their mainperners and Sureties Of these IndeÌ„tures the one parte béeing sealed by the Sheriffe ought to be returned to the Clark of the Parlement and th' other parte of the Indentures sealed by such as made choice of the Knights and such as made choice of Citizens and Burgesses vnder the seuerall common seales of their Citties and Townes ought to remain with the Sheriffe or rather with the partyes so elected and chosen The charges of euery knight and Citizen was wunt to be a like which was xiij shillings .iiij. peÌ„ce by the day but now by the Statute it is but viij shillings that is to euery Knight euery Citizen iiij shillings to euery Burgesse the olde vsage to haue v. shillings but now it is but iij. shillings iiij pence limitted by the Statute which alowaunces is to be giuen from the first day of their iorney towards the Parlement vntil the last day of their return from theÌ„ce Prouided that euery such person shal be alowed for so many daies as by iorneyiÌ„g xxvj miles euery day in the Winter and xxx miles in the Summer hée may come and return to and from the Parlement In choice of these Knights Citizens and Burgesses good regarde is to be had that the Lawes customs of the Realme be héerin kept and obserued for none ought to be chosen vnlesse he be resiant and dwelling with in the Shéer Citty or Town for which he is chosen And he ought to be a graue wise learned skilful and of great experience in causes of policies and of such audacitie as bothe canne and will boldely vtter and speak his minde according to duety and as occation shall serue for no man ought to bée silent or dum in that house but according to his talent hée must and ought to speak in the furtheraunce of the King and common welth And the Knights also ought to be skilful in martiall affaires and therfore the woords of the writs are that such should be chosen for Knights as be Cincti gladio not because
it is to be noted that the two principall Clarks of the Parlement for the King and his Councel and other secondary Clarks of whom and of whose office mencion shal be héerafter made The chéef Cryer of England with his deputies and the chéef Porter of England howbeit these two offices were accustomed to be occupyed by one person these ought to be there the first day of the Parlement The Lord Chaunceler of England the Treasurer the Chamberlain the Barons of the Eschequer the Iustices all the kings Clarks and knights with Sergeants at the Law of the kings retinew or fée ought to be there the second day vnlesse they haue a resonable impediment or let Of the beginning of the Parlement THe King ought to be in the Parlement the first day and should sit in the midst of the high bench The sixt day the Chaunceller the Treasurer the Barons of the Eschequer and the Iustices were accustomed to recorde the defaults doon in the ParlemeÌ„t in forme folowing The first day they must call all the Citizens and Burgesses of all England and for lack of their apparaunce a Citty shal be amerced in a C. pound and a borough a C. markê The second day they shall call knights of Shéeres and in default of their apparance the shéere shal be amerced a C. pouÌ„d The third day the Barons of the fiue portes after them th' other Barons and then the Earles and for lack of apparance of euery Baron they shal be amerced a C. markê and of an Erle a C. pound the like shal be doon to them that be Earles and Barons Péeres that is to say as haue Lands and rents to the yéerly value of an Earledome or of a barony as is before expressed The fourth day the Proctors of the Clergie shal be called and for lack of their apparance their Bishops shal be amerced a C. marks for euery Archdeaconry that maketh default The fifth day Deanes Priors Abbots Bishops and Archbishops and for lack of apparaunce of an Archbishop he shal be amerced a C. pound a Bishop an Abbot and a Prior whiche holde an whole barony a C. marks Of the Proclamations THe first day of the Parlement proclamation shal be made first in the Hall or in the Monastery or some other open place where the Parlement shal be holden or kept and after in the Citty or Town opeÌ„ly that euery man hauing Bil or Peticion to be eranuned or determined in the Parlement that is should be laid in within fiue dayes of the beginning of the parlement Of the preaching of the Parlement AN Archbishop or some famose discrete and eloquent Clark tobe assigned by the Archbishop in whose prouince the Parlement shal be kept and holden shall preach on the first of the fiue dayes in the ful Parlement in the Kings presence and he shall begin when all the Parlement or the moste parte shal be there assembled in his prison or prayer he shall require all the whole Parlement that they humbly beséech almightie God for the peace and tranquilitie of the King and Realme Of the Speaker of the Parlement AFter the Sermon doon the L. Chaunceller of England or the chéef Iustice elect shall stand declaring in the parlement house first generally and then specially the causes of the Parlement and wherfore the same is holden And it is to be noted that euery man the King excepted shall stand while the said Speaker dooth declare his matter to th'entent that euery man may hear him in cace he doo speak obscurely or darkly or so lowe that he cannot be heard he must begin again or els an other speak in his place What the King shall say after the Speaker hath doon THe King after the speaker hath declared the causes of the Parlement shall desire the Spiritualtie and the Temporaltie naming euery degrée that is to say Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Archdeacons proctors and others of the Clergie Earles Barons knights Citizens and Burgesses and others of the Temporaltie that they doo diligently studiously and loouingly indeuer them selues to examin pertract and handle the causes of the Parlement to the honor of God principally secondarely to the Kings honor and lastly to the welth of the Realme Of the Kings absence THe King ought dayly to be present in the Parlement vnlesse he be sick or diseased and then he may kéep his chamber so that he lodge not out of the manor or town where the Parlement is holden and then he ought to send for xij persons of the great estates that be monished or summoned to the Parlement wherof two to be Bishops two Earles two Barons two Knights two Citizens and two Burgesses to sée his person to certifie of his estate in their presence he ought to commit power to the Archbishop of the prouince to the Lord Steward and to the chéef Iustices that they ioyntly and seuerally shall begin and continew the Parlement in the Kings name making expresse mention in his commission of his disease to th' other estates and that the persons abooue named can expresse the same for it is a perilous cace and dangerous for the communaltie and Realme that the King should be absent from the Parlement but onely for bodely sicknes Of places and seates in the Parlement FIrst as it is before said the King shall sit in the midst of the bench vpon the right hand the Archbishop of Canterbury at his left hand the Archbishop of Yorke and then Bishops Abbots and Priors in order and then euery man in his degrée and amongst his péeres and that this order be kept the Lord Steward of England is bound to look vnto vnlesse the King assigne some other At the Kings righ foot the Chaunceller of England the chéef Iustice of England with his felowes and their Clarks that be of the ParlemeÌ„t And at his left foot shall sit the Treasurer the Chamberlain the Barons of the Eschequer the Iudge of the common place with their Clarks that been of the Parlement Of the porters of the Parlement THe chéef Porter of the Parlement shall stand within the great gate or Monastery hall or place wher the Parlement is holden and shall attend that no man enter into the Parlement except he be called for matters that he sheweth in the Parlement And it is expedient that the said Porter haue knowledge of euery mannes name that shall enter into the Parlement and if need require to haue many porters vnder him Of Cryers of the Parlement THe Cryer shall stand without the Parlement door and the Porter shall shew him when and what he shall call The king was accustomed to appoint his SergeaÌ„ts at armes to kéep the Parlement door that no thrust presse or noyse were made there by meanes wherof the Parlement might be letted and that such thrust preace or noyse might he auoyded and proclamation should be made that no person enterprise such things there vnder pain of imprisonment for by Law
they shall come into the Parlement house in armoure or with their Swoordes but because they should be suche as haue good experience and knowledge in feates of Warre and of martiall affayres whereby they may in suche caces giue the King and Realme good aduise and councel likewise they ought to be Lay men and of good fame honestie and credit béeing not vtlawed excoÌ„municated or periured or otherwise infamose for such persons ought not to haue place or to be admitted into the Parlement house The degrees of the Parlement IN times past there were six degrées or estates of the Parlement whiche euery of them had their seuerall officers and ministers of attendaunce but now the same are reduced into foure degrées The first is the King who in his personage is a ful and whole degrée of him self and without whome nothing can be doon The second degrée is of the Lords of the Clergie and of the Temporaltie and are all called by the names of Barons The third is of knights Citizens and Burgesses and these be called by the names of the communaltie The fourth is of the Clergie which are called by the name of conudcacion and these persons haue no voice in the Parlement nether can they doo any thing other theÌ„ to intreat in causes of Religion which from them is to be commended to other estates Of the places and houses of the Parlement AS it lyeth in the King to assigne and appoint the time when the Parlement shall begin so that he giue at the least forty dayes summons so likewise he may name and appoint the place where it shal be kept but wheresoeuer it bée kept th' olde vsage and maner was that all the whole degrées of the parlement sat togither in one house and euery man that had there to speak did opeÌ„ly before the king and his whole Parlement but héerof did growe many inconveniences and therfore to auoid the great confusions which are in such great assemblies as also to cut of th' occasions of displeasures which eftsoones did happen when a mean man speaking his conscience fréely either could not be heard or fel into the displeasure of his betters and for sundrye other great gréefs did deuide this one house into thrée houses that is to wit the higher house the lower house and the conuocation house In the first sitteth the King and his Lords spirituall and Temporall called by the name of Barons and this house is called the higher house The second is where the Knights Citizens and Burgesses doo sit and they be called by the name of Commons and this house is called the lower house The third is where the prelats and Proctors of the Clergie sit béeing called by the name of the Clergie and this house is called the conuocation house of euery of these houses their orders and officers we wil bréefly subuect and declare perticulerly in order as foloweth Of the higher house THe higher house as is said is where the King and his Barons doo sit in Parlement where the King sitteth highest and the Lords and Barons beneath him eche man in his degrée the order is this The house is much more in length then in breadth and the higher end therof in the middle is the Kingê seat or Throne hanged richly with cloth of estate and there the king sitteth all waies alone On his right haÌ„d there is a long bench next to the wall of the house whiche reacheth not so farre vp as the Kings seat and vpon this sit the Archbishops and Bishops euery one in his degrée On his left hand there are two like beÌ„ches vpon the inner sit the Dukes Marquesses Erles and Vicounts On the other which is the hindermoste next to the wall sit all the Barons euery man in his degrée In the middle of the house betwéen the Archbishops seat and the Dukes seat sitteth the Speaker who commonly is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale of England or the L. chéef Iustice of England as pleaseth the King who dooth appoint him and he hath before him his two Clarks sitting at a Table before them vpon which they doo write and lay their Bookes In the middle rowme beneath them sit the chéef Iustices and Iudges of the Realme the Barons of the Eschequer the Quéenes Sergeants and all such as be of the Kings learned Councel either in the common Lawes of the Realme or of the Ecclesiasticall lawes and all these sit vpon great Wool sacks couered with red cloth At the lower end of all these feates is a bar or a Rail betwéen which and the lower end of the house is a void rowme seruing for the lower house and for all Sutors that shall haue cause and occasion to repair to the King or to the Lords This house as it is distinct from the others so there bée distinct Officers to the same belonging and appertaining whiche all be assigned and appointed by the King and all haue allowances for their charges at the Kings hands of which Officers what they are what is euery of their offices and what allowances they haue shal be written in order héerafter Of the Officers of the higher house and first of the Speaker and of his office THe chéefest Officer of the higher house is the Speaker who is appointed by the King and commonly he is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale or Lord chéef Iustice of England his office consisteth in diuers points First he must on the first day of the Parlement make his oration in the higher house before the king his Lords and commons then there declare the causes why the King hath summoned that parlement exhorting and aduising euery man to do his office and duty in such sorte as may be to the glory of God honor of the King and benefit of the common welth Also he must make one other oration but in way of answere to the Speakers Oration when he is presented to the King. Likewise he must make the like on the last day of the Parlement and you shall vnderstand that vpon these thrée dayes he standeth on the right hand of the King néer to his seat at a bar there appointed for him but at all other times he sitteth in the middle of the house as is before said When he hath ended his oration vpon the first day he must giue order vnto the lower house in the Kings behalf willing them to repair vnto their house and there according to their ancient order and customes make choice of their Speaker All Billes preseÌ„ted vnto the higher house he must receiue which he hath foorthwith to deliuer to the Clarkes to be safely kept All Billes he must cause to be red twise before they be ingroced and béeing red thrée times he must put the same to question If any Bil put to question doo passe with their conseÌ„t then the same must be sent to the lower house vnlesse it came first from thence and in that cace it
must be kept vntil the end of the Parlement If any Bil be denyed impugned and cléere ouerthrowne the 〈…〉 more to be thencefoorth receiued If 〈…〉 be put to question and it be doutful whether side is the greater and giueth moste voices then he must cause the house to be deuided and then iudge of the Bil according to the greater number If any Bill be imperfect or requireth to be amended hée must choose a certain number of that house as he shall think good and to them commit that Bil to be reformed and amended If any Bil or message be tobe sent to the lower house it is his office to make choice of two of the Kings learned councel there béeing to be the messengers therof If any Bil or message be sent from the lower house hée must come from his place to the bar there receiue the same and béeing returned to his place and euery Straunger or messenger departed he must disclose the same to the Lords Item if any disorder be committed or doon in the house by any Lord or other person he ought with the aduise of the Lords to reforme the same but if it be emong the Lords and they wil not be reformed then he must foorth with aduertise the King. Item he ought at the beginning of the Parlement to call by name all the Lords of the Parlement and likewise at other times as he séeth occasion whose defaults ought to be recorded and they to pay their fines vnlesse they be dispenced with all by speciall licence from the King or haue some iust and resonable cause of absence Item he must sée and cause the Clarks to make true entries and true recordes of all things doon there and to sée that the Clarks doo giue and deliuer the copyes of all such Billes there red to such as demaund for the same Item he shall kéep the secrets and cause and commaund euery man of eche degrée in that house to doo the like Also he ought not to go any where but the gentleman Sergeant ought to attend vpon him going before him with his Mace vnlesse he be Lord Chaunceller for then he hath a Sergeant of his owne His alowance that he hath is at the Kings charges Also for euery priuate Bil that passeth and is enacted his hath x. pound for his parte Of the Chaunceller of the higher house THe Chaunceller is the principall Clark of the higher house and his charge is safely to kéep the recordes of the Parlement and the Arts whiche be past All suche Statutes as be enacted hée must send to the Kings seuerall Courts of recordes to be enrolled as namely the Chauncery the kings Bench the common place and the Eschequer All suche Acts as are to be imprinted he must send to the Printer All such priuate Acts as are not imprinted if any man wil haue the same exemplified he must transmit the same to the Lord Chaunceller to be ingrossed and sealed and for the same he to take the fées appointed and accustomed He hath for his alowance an ordinary fée for terme of life of the King. Of the Clarks of the Parlement THere be two Clarks the one named the Clark of the Parlement and the other named the Clark of the Crown The Clark of the Parlement his office is to sit before the Lord Speaker and to read such Billes presented as hée shal be commaunded He must kéep true records and true entries of all things there doon and to be entred If any require a coppy of any bil there he ought to giue the same receiuing the ordinary fées If any Bil after his ordinary readingê be to be ingrossed he must doo it The councel of the house he may not disclose At the end of the Parlement he must deliuer vp vnto the Chaunceller all the Acts and records of that house sauing he may kéep a transumpt and a coppy therof to him self He hath his alowance of the King. Also for euery priuate Bil whiche is enacted he hath thrée pound Also for euery Bil wherof he giueth a coppy he hath for euery ten lines a peny according to the custome THe Clark of the Crown his office is to supply the place and the rowme of the Clark of the Parlement in his absence and hath in all things the like charges and profits as the Clark ought to haue He must giue his attendaunce to the higher house from time to time and doo what shal be inioyned him All suche Acts as be not imprinted if any man will haue them exemplified vnder the brode Seale he must exemplifie them and haue for the same his ordinary fées These two Clarks at the end of the Parlement ought to be present in the house and within the lower bar at a boord before them their faces towards the King and there the one must read the billes which are past bothe houses and the other must read the concent or disagreement of the King. Of the Sergeants or porters of the higher house THere is but one Sergeant whiche hath the charge of kéeping of the doores for though there be diuers doores yet the kéepers therof are at his assignement He ought to sée the house be cléene and kept swéet He ought not to suffer any manner of person to be within she house so long as the Lords be there sitting other then such as be of the learned councel and of that house and except also such as come in message from the lower house with Billes or otherwise and except also such as be sent for and be admitted to haue any thing there to doo Also he must attend and go alwaies with his Mace before the Speaker vnlesse he be Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale for then he hath a Sergeant of his owne He ought to kéep safely such prisoners as be commaunded to his warde and to fetch or seÌ„d for such as he shal be commaunded to fetch This Porter or Sergeant hath besides his ordinary fée a standing allowance for euery day of the Parlement Also he hath for euery priuate Bil which is enacted xl s. Also he hath for euery prisoner committed to his warde a certain alowance for his fées Also he hath of euery Baron or Lord of that house a certain rewarde Of the lower house THe lower house as is said is a place distinct from the others it is more of length then of breadth it is made like a Theater hauing foure rowes of seates one abooue an other rouÌ„d about the same At the higher end in the midle of the lower rowe is a seat made for the Speaker in which he alwaies sitteth before it is a table boord at which sitteth the Clark of the house and there vpon layeth his Books and writeth his recordes Vpon the lower rowe on bothe sides the Speaker sit such personages as be of the kings priuy councel or of his chéef Officers but as for any other none claimeth nor can claime any place but sitteth as
this house his office is to sit next before the Speaker at a Table vpon which he writeth and layeth his books He must make true entrie of the recordes and Billes of the house as also of all the orders therof The Billes appointed vnto him by the Speaker to be red hée must read openly plainly and sensibly The Billes which are to be ingrossed he must doo it If any of the house aske the sight of any Bil there or of the book of the orders of the house he hath to deliuer the same vnto him If any desire to haue the copy of any Bil he ought to giue it him receiuing for his paines after ten lines a peny He may not be absent at any time of sitting without speciall licence He ought to haue for euery priuate Bil passed and enacted forty shillings He hath allowed vnto him for his charges of the King for euery Sessions ten pound Of the Sergeant or porter of the lower house THe Sergeant of this house is commonly one of the Kings Sergeants at Armes and is appointed to this office by the king His office is to kéep the doores of the house and for the same he hath others vnder him for he him self kéepeth the door of the inner house wher the commons sit and séeth the same to be clene Also he may not suffer any to enter into this house during the time of the sitting there vnlesse he be one of the house or be sent from the King or the Lords or otherwise licenced to come in If any such person doo come he ought to bring him in going before him with his Mace vpon his shoulder If any be commited to his warde he ought to take charge of him and to kéep him in safetie vntil he be required for him If he be sent for any person or to go in any message hée must leaue a substitute behinde him to doo his Office in his absence He must alwaies attend the Speaker and go before him carying his mare vpon his shoulder His allowance during the time of the Parlement is xij d. the day of the Kings charges Also he hath of euery Knight and Citizen ij shillings and vj. pence and of euery Burgesse ij shillings If any be commaunded to his warde he hath of euery such Prisoner by the day .vj. shillings and .viij. pence If any priuate Bil doo passe and be enacted he hath for euery such Bil .xx. shillings Of the Conuocacion house THe conuocation house is the assemblie of the whole Clergie at and in some peculier place apointed for the purpose But as the Barons and Lords of the Parlement haue their house seuerall and distinct from the Commons euen so the Archibishops and Bishops doo sequester them selues and haue a house seuerall from the residue of the Clergie And this their house is called the higher Conuocation house the other béeing named the lower Conuocation house Bothe these houses haue their seuerall Officers orders and vsages eche Officer hath his peculier charge and function as also certain allowances euen as is vsed in the Parlement houses of the Lords and commons The Archbishops and Bishops doo sit all at a Table and doo discourse all such causes and matters as are brought in question before theÌ„ either of their owne motions or from the higher Court of Parlement or from the lower house of Conuocation or from any priuate person Euery Archbishop and Bishop sitteth and taketh place according to his estate and degrée which degrées are knowen by such degrées and offices in the Church as to euery of them is assigned for one hath the personage of a Preest an other of a Deacon this is a SubdeacoÌ„ he is a Sex ten and so foorth as such officers were wunt to be in the Church The Bishops doo not sit at the fore noon but onely at the after noon because they béeing Barons of the higher house of parlement doo resorte and assemble them selues there at the forenoones with the Temporall Lords The Conuocacion house of the rest of the Clergie doo obserue in a maner the like orders as the lower house of the commons doo vse for béeing assembled togither on the first day with the Bishops are by them willed to make choice of a Speaker for them whome they call the Proloquutor when they haue chosen him they doo present him vnto the Bishops and he thus presented maketh his oration and dooth all things as the Speaker of the lower house for the Commons dooth as wel for the ordering of the Clergie and of the house for his order in sitting the order in speaking the order of recording the things doon emong them and all other such like things And this is to be vnderstanded that the whole Clergie can deale and intreat but onely of matters of Religion and orders of the Church whiche their dooings conclusions cannot binde the whole Realme vnlesse they be confirmed by Act of Parlement but yet sufficient to binde the whole Clergie to the kéeping therof so that the King who is the supreme gouernour of bothe estates doo consent and confirme the same And forasmuch as by knowing the orders of the Parlement house you may also knowe the orders of bothe the Conuocation houses which are like and correspondent to y others These shall suffise for this matter Of extraordinary persons which ought to be summoned to the Parlement BEsides the personages of the former degrées which ought to be summoned to the parlement the King also must warne and summon all his councellers bothe of th' one Law and of th' other and those haue their places onely in the higher house namely the two chéef Iustices and their associates of the Kings bench and the common places the Barons of the Eschequer the Sergeants the Attorney the Soliciter the Maister of the Rolles and his fellowes of the Chauncerye The offices of these personages are to giue councel to the King and Parlement in euery doutful cause according to the Lawes Also if any Bil be conceiued and made disorderly they ought to amend and reforme the same vpon order and commaundemet to them giuen Also they must attend to come and go at the commaundement of the King and Parlement Also they may not speak nor giue aduise but when they be asked and put to question Also they haue no voice in Parlement because they are commonly councellers to the same They are all retained at the Kings charges Likewise all officers of the Parlement are to be summoned as namely the Chaunceller of the Parlement the Clarks the Sergeants the Porters and such others who likewise are retained at the Kings costs Of their offices and charges it is alredy perticulerly declared Of the dayes and houres to sit in Parlement ALl dayes of the wéek are appointed sauing and excepted the Sundayes and all principall feastes as namely the feasts of All hallown day Christmas Easter Whitsontide and Saint Iohn the Baptistê day also such other dayes as the Parlement
by concent shall appoynt and assigne The beginning is at eight of the clock in the morning and dooth continew vntil .xi. of the clock They doo not sit at after noones for those times are reserued for Committies and the Conuocation house In the morning they begin with the Common prayer and Letanye which are openly red in the house Of the King his office and authoritie HAuing declared of all the estates degrées and personages of the Parlement it resteth now to speak also of the King and of his office who is all in all the beginning and the ending and vpon whome resteth and dependeth the effect and substaunce of the whole Parlement for without him and his authoritie nothing can be doon and with it all things take effect neuerthelesse when he calleth and assembleth his Parlement there are sundrye orders whiche of him are to be obserued and which he ought to sée to be kept and executed or els the Parlement surcesseth to be a Parlement and taketh not his effect of whiche orders these be the chéef which doo insue First the King ought to send out his summons to all the estates of his Realme of a Parlemēt assigning appointing the time day and piace Also his summons must be at the least forty dyaes before the beginning of his Parlement Also he must appoint and prouide all such officers as ought to attend the Parlement who must be found at his charges Also the King ought not to make any choice or cause any choice to be made of any Knight Citizens Burgesses Proctors of the Clergie Speaker of the common house or Proloquutor of the Conuocation house but they must be elected and chosen by the lawes orders and customs of the Realme as they were wunt and ought to be and the Kings good aduise yet not to be contemned Also the king ought to graunt permit and allow to all and euery of the estates and to euery perticuler man lawfully elected and come to the Parlement all and euery the auncient fréedoms priuiledges immunitie and customes during the Parlement as also during the times and dayes comming and going to and from the Parlement but yet the same humbly to be requested of his highnes by the Speaker in his oratiō at the beginning of the Parlement Also the King in person ought to be present in the Parlement thrée daies at the least during the time of the Parlemēt that is to say the first day when the whole estates according to the summons make their apparance whiche is called the first day of the Parlement On the second day when the Speaker of the common house is presented which is counted the beginning of the Parlement And the third day which is the last day when the Parlement is proroged or dissolued for vpon these dayes he must be present vnlesse in cace of sicknes or absence out of the Realme for in these caces the King may summon his Parlement by commission and the same is of as good effect as if he were present in person and as for any other dayes he is at his choice and libertie to come or not to come to the Parlement Also the King ought to propone vnto the Parlement house in writing all such things and matters of charge as for whiche he calleth the said Parlemēt and accordingly as the same shal then by the consent of all estates be aduised concluded and agréed so the King either hath to allow or disalowe the same for he can of him self neither adde nor deminish any Bil but accept the same as it is presented vnto him from the estates of the Parlement or els altogither reiect it Also the King as he dooth prefixe and assigne the day and time when the Parlement shall begin so also he must assigne and appoint the time when the same shal be proroged or dissolued whiche ought not to be as long as any matters of charge weight or importaunce be in question and the same not decided nor determined Of the dignitie power and authoritie of the Parlement and of the orders of the same THe Parlement is the hiest chéefest and greatest Court that is or can be within the Realme for it consisteth of the whole Realme whiche is deuided into thrée estates that is to wit the King the Nobles and the Commons euery of which estates are subiect to all suche orders as are concluded and established in Parlement These thrée estates may ioyntly and with one consent or agréemēt establish and enact any Laws orders Statutes for the common welth but béeing deuided and one swaruing from the other they can do no thing for the King though hée be the head yet alone cannot make any Law nor yet the king and his Lords onely nor yet the King and his Commons alone neither yet can the Lords and the Commons without the King doo anything of auail And yet neuerthelesse if the King in due order haue summoned all his Lords and Barons and they wil not come or if they come they wil not yet appéer or if they come and appéer yet wil not doo or yéeld to any thing then the King with the concent of his Commons who are represented by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses may ordain establish any Act or Law which ar as good sufficent and effectuall as if the Lords had giuen their consents But of the contrary if the Commons be summoned and wil not come or comming wil not appéer or appéering wil not consent to doo any thing aledging some iust weightie and great cause The King in these caces cannot with his Lords deuise make or establish any Law the reasons are these when Parlements were first begon and ordained there were no Prelats or Barons of the Parlement and the Temporall Lords were very few or none and then the King and his Commons did make a ful Parlement which authoritie was hetherto neuer abridged again euery Baron in Parlement dooth represent but his owne person speaketh in the behalf of him self alone But in the Knights Citizens and Burgesses are represēted the Commons of the whole Realme and euery of these giueth not consent onely for himself but for all those also for whom he is sent And the King with the consent of his Commons had euer a sufficient and ful authoritie to make ordain establish good wholesome Lawes for the commō welth of his Realme wherfore the Lords béeing lawfully summoned yet refusing to come sit or cōsent in Parlemēt cannot by their folly abridge the King and the Commons of their lawful proceding in Parlement The Lords and Commons in times past did sit all in one house but for the aduoiding of confusion they be now deuided into twoo seuerall houses and yet neuertheles they are of like and equall authoritie euery persō of either of the said houses béeing named reputed coūted a péer of the Realme for the time of the Parlement that is to say equall for Par is equall And
therfore the oppinion censure and iudgement of a mean Burgesse is of as great auail as is the best Lords no regarde béeing had to the partie who speaketh but the matter that is spoken They be also called Péeres as it were Fathers for Pier is a Father by which is ment that all such as be of the Parlement should be auncient graue wise learned and expert men of the land for such were the Senators of Roome and called Patres conscripti for the wisdome and care that was in them in gouerning of the common welth They are also called Councellers because they are assembled and called to the Parlement for their aduise and good councel in making and deuising of suche good orders and Lawes as may be for the common welth They therfore which make choice of Knights Citizens and Burgesses ought to be wel aduised that they doo elect and choose such as béeing to be of that assemblye and therby equall with the great estates should be graue auncient wise learned expert careful men for their commonwelth and who as faithful and trusty councellers should doo that whiche should turn and be for the best commoditie of the common welth otherwise they doo great iniury to their Prince and common weale Also euery person of the Parlement during the times of the Parlement and at his comming and going from the same is frée from all troubles arrests and molestations no action or sute taking effect which during that time is begun entred or commenced against him in what Court so euer the same be except in causes of Treason Murder and Fellony and except also executions in Law awarded and graunted before the beginning of the Parlement Also euery person hauing voices in Parlement hath frée libertie of speach to speak his minde oppinion and iudgemeÌ„t to any matter proponed or of him self to propone any matter for the commoditie of the Prince and of the common welth but hauing once spoken to any Bil he may speak no more for that time Also euery person once elected and chosen a knight Citizen or Burgesse returned cannot be dismissed out of that house but béeing admitted shall haue his place and voice there if he be a Lay man But if by errour a man of the Clergie be chosen then he ought and shal be dismissed also if he be excomunicated outlawed or infamose Also euery one of these houses ought to be incorrupt no briber nor taker of any rewards gifts or money either for deuising of any bil or for speaking of his minde but to doo all thingê vprightly and in such sorte as best for the King and common welth Also euery one ought to be of a quiet honest and gentle behauiour none taunting checking or misusing an other in any vnséemly woords or déds but all affections set a parte to doo and indeuer in wisdome sobrietie knowledge that which that place requireth Also if any one doo offend or misbehaue himself he is to be corrected and punished by the aduise and order of the residue of the house Also all the Prisons wardes gailes within the Realme and the kéepers of the same are at the commaundement of the Parlement for the custodie and safe kéeping or punishment of all and euery such Prisoners as shal be sent to any of them by the said Palrement houses or any of them how beit moste commonly the Tower of London is the prison which is moste vsed Also if any one of the Parlement house be serued sued arrested or attached by any writ attachment or minister of the Kings bench Common place Chauncery or what Court soeuer within this Realme the partie so troubled and making complaint therof to the Parlement house then foorth with a Sergeant at Armes is sent to the said Court not onely aduertising that the partie so molested is one of the ParlemeÌ„t house but also inhibiting and commaunding the Officers of the said Court to call in the said processe and not to deale any further against the said partie for the Parlement béeing the hiest court all other Courts yéeld and giue place to the same Also as euery one of the Parlement house is frée for his owne person for all maner of sutes to be commenced against him so are also his Seruants frée and not to be troubled nor molested but beeing troubled haue the like remedie as the Maister hath or may haue Also no manner of person béeing not one of the Parlement house ought to enter or come within the house as long as the sitting is there vpon pain of imprisonment or suche other punishment as by the house shal be ordred and adiudged Also euery person of the Parlement ought to kéep secret and not to disclose the secrets and things spokeÌ„ and doon in the Parlement house to any manner of person vnlesse he be one of the same house vpon pain to be sequestred out of the house or otherwise punished as by the order of the house shal be appointed Also none of the Parlement house ought to departe from the Parlement without speciall leaue obteyned of the Speaker of the house and the same his licence be also recorded Also no person béeing not of the Parlement house ought to come into the same during the time of the sitting so euery one comming into the same oweth a dutie and a reuerence to be giuen when he entreth and commeth in If a Baron or a Lord come and enter into the higher house he ought to doo his obeysaunce before the cloth of estate and so to take his place Also when he speaketh he must stand bare headed and speake his minde plainly sensibly and in decent order If any come in message or be sent for to the higher house they must stay at the inner door vntil they be called in then béeing entred must first make their obeysauÌ„ce which doon to go to the lower end of the house their to stay vntil they be called and béeing called they must first make one lowe courtesie and obeisauÌ„ce and gooing forwards must in the middle way make one other lowe curtesie and then béeing come foorth to the Barre must make the third curtesie the like must be doon at the departure Also when any Knight Citizen or Burgesse dooth enter and come into the lower house he must make his dutiful and humble obeysaunce at his entry in and then take his place And you shal vnderstaÌ„d that as euery such person ought to be graue wise and expert so ought he to show him self in his Apparail for in times past none of the councellers of the Parlement came otherwise then in his gown and not armed nor girded with weapon for the Parlement house is a place for wise graue and good men to consult debate and aduise how to make Lawes and orders for the common welth and not to be armed as men redy to fight or to trye matters by the Swoord and albe it the writ for the election of the Knights haue expresse woords
to choose such for Knights as be girded with the Swoord yet it is not ment therby that they should come and sit armed but bee such as be skilful in feates of Armes and besides their good aduises can wel serue in martiall affaires And thus the Romain Senators vsed who béeing men of great knowledge and experience as wel in martiall affaires as in politique causes sat allwaies in the Senate house and places of councel in their Gownes and long Robes The like also was alwaies and hath been the order in the Parlements of this Realme as long as the auncient Lawes the olde customes and good orders therof were kept and obserued Also if any other person or persons either in message or béeing sent for doo come he ought to be brought in by the Sergeant at the first entring must folowing the Sergeant make one lowe obeysaunce and beeing past in the middle way must make one other and when he is come before the Speaker he must make the third and then doo his message the like order he must kéep in his return But if he doo come alone or with his learned councel to pleade any matter or to answere to any obiection he shall enter and go no farther then to the Bar within the door aud there to doo his thrée obeysaunces Also when any Bil is committed the Committes haue not authoritie to conclude but onely to order reforme examin and amend the thing committed vnto them and of their dooings they must giue reporte to the house again by whome the Bill is to be considered Also euery Bil whiche is brought into the house must bée red thrée seuerall times and vpon thrée seuerall dayes Also euery Bil which vpon any reading is committed and returned again ought to haue his thrée readings vnlesse the Committes haue not altred the bil in any substaunce or forme but onely in certain woords Also when any Bil vpon any reading is altogither by one concent reiected or by voices after the third reading ouerthrown it ought not to be brought any more to be red during the Sessions of Parlement Also if any man doo speak vnto a Bill and be out of his matter he ought to be put in remembraunce of the matter by the Speaker onely and by none other and be willed to come to the matter Also whensoeuer any person dooth speak to any Bill hée ought to stand vp and to be bare headed and then with all reuerence grauitte and séemly spéech to declare his minde But when so euer any Bil shal be tryed either for allowances or to be reiected then euery one ought to sit because he is then as a Iudge Also euery Knight Citizen and Burgesse before he doo enter into the Parlement and take his place there ought to bée sworne and to take his othe acknowledging the King to be the supreme and onely gouernour of all the estates within his Realme as also to renounce all forrain Potentates The order of the beginning and ending of the Parlement ON the first day of the summons for the Parlement the King in proper person vnlesse he bée sick or absent out of the Realme béeing apparailled in his royall and Parlement Robes ought to be conducted brought by all his Barons of the Clergie and Laitie and the Commons summoned to the Parlement vnto the Churrh where ought a Sermon to be made by some Archbishop Bishop or some other famouse learned man The Sermon ended he must in like order be brought to the higher house of Parlement and there to take his seat vnder the cloth of estate likewise euery Lord and Baron in his degree ought to take his place This doon the Lord Chaunceller or he whom the King appointeth to be the speaker of that house maketh his oration to the whole assembly declaring the causes why wherfore that Parlement is called and summoned exhorting and perswading euery man to doo his best indeuor in all such matters as shal be in the said Parlement proponed as shal be moste expedient for the glory of God the honor of the King and the common welth of the whole Realme Then he directeth his talke vnto the Knights Citizens and Burgesses aduertising them that the Kings pleasure is that they doo repair to their house and there according to the olde and auncient custome to choose and elect some one wise graue and learned man emong them selues to be Speaker for them and giueth them a day when they shall present him to the king And these things thus doon the King ariseth and euery man departeth This is accounted for the first day of the Parlement THe second or third day after when the Speaker is to be presented the King with all his Nobles in like order as before doo assemble again in the higher house and then come vp all the commons of the lower house and then and there doo present their Speaker vnto the king The Speaker foorthwith maketh his dutiful obeysaunces beginneth and maketh his oration before the King and prosequuteth such matters as occasion serueth and as is before resited in the office of the Speaker and this doon euery man departeth And this is accounted for the beginning of the Parlement for before the Speaker be presented and these things orderly doon there can no Billes be put in nor matters be entreated of LAstly when all matters of weight be discussed ended and dermined the King commaundeth an end to be made And that day the King his Nobles and Commons doo again assemble in the higher house in their Robes and in like order as is before recited where the Speaker maketh his oration and is answered by the Lord Chaunceller or Speaker of the higher house Then all the Billes concluded and past in bothe houses that is to say in the higher house of the Lords and in the lower house of the commons are there red by the titles and then the King giueth his concent or discent to euery of them as he thinketh good And when the titles of all the the Billes are red the Lord Chaunceller or Lord Speaker by the Kings commaundement pronounceth the Parlement to bee proroged or cleane dissolued And this is called the last day or the end of the Parlement and euery man is at libertie to departe homewards The names of all such personages as ought to appeer and be in the Parlement In the higher house ¶ The King. The Lord Speaker A Proctor for the kingdome of Fraunce A Proctor for Scotland A Proctor for the Duchie of Aquitane A Proctor for the Duchie of Guyen A Proctor for the Duchie of Angewe The Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop of York The Bishop of London The Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Chichester The Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Elye The Bishop of Couentrie The Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Sarisbury The Bishop of Welles The Bishop of Norwich The Bishop of Lincolne The Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Herford
The Bishop of Oxford The Bishop of Glocester The Bishop of Peterborough The Bishop of Bristowe The Bishop of Westchester The Bishop of Carliel The Bishop of Saint Dauid The Bishop of Saint Asse The Bishop of Bangor The Bishop of Landaffe The Duke of Norfolke The Marques of Northampton The Marques of Winchester The Earle of Arundel The Earle of Shrewsbury The Earle of Oxford The Earle of Darby The Earle of Rutland The Earle of Cumberland The Earle of Worcester The Earle of Bathe The Earle of Warwick The Earle of Lecester The Earle of Susser The Earle of Huntington The Earle of Penbrook The Earle of Harford The Earle of Sowthampton The Earle of Bedford The Vicecount Montagew The Vicecount Hereford The Vicecount Bindon The Lord Sowch The Lord be la ware The Lord Aburgaueny The Lord Awdeley The Lord Barkley The Lord Morley The Lord Cobham The Lord Dakers of the South the Lord Dakers of Gudeslond The Lord Gray The Lord Scroope The Lord Latimer The Lord Sturton The Lord Clinton The Lord Dudley Baron of Dudley The Lord Lomeley The Lord Mountioy The Lord Conyes The Lord Mountegle The Lord Winsor The Lord Wentworth The Lord Sandes The Lord Vaus The Lord Mordant The Lord Borough The Lord Bray the Lord Wharton The Lord Rich. the Lord Crumwel The Lord Euere the Lord Stafford The Lord Darcy of Menel the Lord Willoughby The Lord Paget The Lord Darcy of Chiche the Lord Chandoys The Lord of Loughborough the Lord S. Iohn of Blastowe The Lord Buckhurst the Lord Hunsdon The Lord of Effingham the two chéef Iustices The Barons of Th'eschequer the Kings Attorney The Kings Sergeants at Law. the Kings Sollicitor The Kings learned Counsel Likewise euery such person whome the King endoweth and honoreth with the degrée and estate of a Baron ought to be suÌ„moned to the Parlement and to haue place there emong the Barons according to his degrée And yet neuerthelesse the SoÌ„ne of a Duke of a Marquesse or of an Earle though he bée a Baron his Father yet liuing he shall not haue a place in the Parlement except he be otherwise honored either by the King or bée aduaunced by meanes of some Mariage to the degrée of a Baron In the lower house ¶ The Countie of Bukingham ij Knights The Countie of Midlesex ij Knights the Countie of Bedford ij Knights The Countie of Cornewail ij Knights the Countie of Cumberland ij Knights The countie of Cambridge ij Knights the Countie of Chester ij Knights The countie of Darby ij Knights the Countie of Deuon ij Knights The countie of Dorset ij Knights the Countie of Essex ij knights The countie of York ij Knights the Countie of Glocester ij Knights The countie of Huntington ij Knights the Countie of Hertford ij Knights The countie of Hereford ij Knights the Countie of Kent ij knights The countie of Lincolne ij knights the Countie of Lecester ij knights The countie of Lancaster ij knights the Countie of Monmouth ij knights The Countie of Northampton ij knights the Countie of Notingham ij knights The countie of Norfolke ij knights the Countie of Northumberland ij knights The countie of Oxford ij knights the Countie of Rutland ij knights The countie of Berkshere ij knights the Countie of Surrey ij knights The countie of Stafford ij knights the Countie of Shropshéer ij knights The countie of Sowthampton ij knights the Countie of Suffolke ij knights The countie of Somerset ij knights The countie of Sussex ij knights the Countie of Westmerland ij knights The countie of Wiltshéer ij knights the Countie of Worcester ij knights The countie of Warwick ij knights the Countie of Mongomerie j. Knights The countie of Radnor j. Knight the Countie of Dinghby j. Knight The countie of Pembrook j. Knight the Countie of Cardigan j. Knight The countie of Mayoth j. Knight the Countie of Carmarthan j. Knight The countie of Carnaruan j. Knight the Countie of Brecknock j. Knight The countie of Glamorgan j. Knight the Countie of Anglesey j. Knight The countie of Merioneth j. Knight ¶ The Cittie of Earlile ij Citizens The Cittie of Chester ij Citizens the Cittie of Excester ij Citizens The Cittie of York ij Citizens the Cittie of Glocester ij Citizens The Cittie of Hereford ij Citizens the Cittie of Canterbury ij citizens The Cittie of Rochester ij citizens the Cittie of Lincolne ij citizens The Cittie of Westminster ij citizens the Cittie of London ij Citizens The Cittie of Norwich ij citizens the Cittie of Oxford ij citizens The Cittie of Winchester ij citizens the Cittie of Bristow ij citizens The Cittie of Bathe ij citizens the Cittie of Chichester ij Citizens The Cittie of Salisbury ij Citizens the Cittie of Worcester ij Citizens The Cittie of Couentrie ij Citizens The Barons of the fiue Portes ¶ Hastings ij Barons Winchelsey ij Barons Rye ij Barons Rumney ij Barons Hyeth ij Barons Douer ij Barons Sandwich ij Barons Burgesses ¶ Bedford town ij Burgesses Buckingham town ij burgesses Wickham ij burgesses Ailisbury ij burgesses New Windsor ij burgesses Reding ij burgesses Wallingford ij burgesses Abingdon ij burgesses Launceston ij burgesses Leskerd ij burgesses Lestuthiel ij burgesses Dunheuet ij burgesses Truro ij burgesses Bobmin ij burgesses Helston ij burgesses Saltashe Ì„ij burgesses Camelford ij burgesses Portlowe ij burgesses Grounpound ij burgesses Perin ij burgesses Tregonye ij burgesses Tresenna ij burgesses Saint Iyes ij burgesses Saint Germins ij burgesses Saint Michael ij burgesses Foy ij burgesses Saint Mawes ij burgesses East Loo ij burgesses Cambridge ij burgesses Derby town ij burgesses Totries ij burgesses Plimmouth ij burgesses Barstable ij burgesses Plimpton ij burgesses Tauistock ij burgesses Dartmouth ij burgesses Poole ij burgesses Dorchester ij burgesses Lime ij burgesses Melcombe ij burgesses Weymouth ij burgesses Birtport ij burgesses Shaftisbury ij burgesses Warham ij burgesses Colchester ij burgesses Maldon ij burgesses Kingston vpon Hul ij burgesses Knaresborough ij burgesses Scatborough ij burgesses Ripton ij burgesses Haydon ij burgesses Boroughbridge ij burgesses Tuske ij burgesses Aldeborgh ij burgesses Beuerley ij burgesses Cicester ij burgesses Huntington ij burgesses Saint Albâ—ns ij burgesses Lempster ij burgesses Maidstone ij burgesses Boston ij burgesses Grimesby ij burgesses Stampford ij burgesses Grantham ij burgesses Lecester ij burgesses Lancaster ij burgesses Preston in Aldernes ij burg Liuerpool ij burgesses Newton ij burgesses Wigan ij burgesses Clithero ij burgesses Monmouth ij burgesses Northampton ij burgesses Peterborough ij burgesses Berkley ij burgesses Higham ferry ij burgesses Notingham ij burgesses East Stratford ij burgesses Lin. ij burgesses Yermouth ij burgesses Thetford ij burgesses Castle ij burgesses New Castel vpon tine ij bur Morepeth ij burgesses Barwick ij burgesses Woodstock ij burgesses Banbury ij burgesses Sowthwark ij burgesses Blenchingly ij burgesses Rigat ij burgesses Gattâ—n ij burgesses Lichféeld ij burgesses Stafford ii burgesses New Castel vnder Line ii bur Tamworth ii burgesses Shrewisbury ii burgesses Bridgenorth ii burgesses Ludlow ii burgesses Great wenlock ii burgesses Sowthampton ii burgesses Portesmouth ii burgesses Peterfeeld ii burgesses Stockbridge
ii burgesses Christes Church ii burgesses Ipswich ii burgesses Dunwich ii burgesses Oteford ii burgesses Aldborough ii burgesses Sudbury ii burgesses Ey ii burgesses Welles ii burgesses Taunton ii burgesses Bridge water ii burgesses Minhed ii burgesses Horsham ii burgesses Midhurst ii burgesses Lewes ii burgesses Shereham ii burgesses Brember ii burgesses Steyning ii burgesses East Gréenstéed ii burgesses Arundel ii burgesses Apleby ii burgesses Wilton ii burgesses Hindon ii burgesses Heytesbury ii burgesses Westbury ii burgesses Calue ii burgesses Deuises ii burgesses Chipenham ii burgesses Malmesbury ii burgesses Bodwin the great ii burgesses Ludgarsail ii burgesses Olde Salisbury ii burgesses Wâ—tton basset ii burgesses Marleborough ii burgesses Wiche ii burgesses Warwick ii burgesses Mongomery i burgesse Radnor i burgesse Dinghby i burgesse Pembrook i burgesse Cardigan i burgesse Flint i burgesse Carmarthan i burgesse Carnaruan i burgesse Brecknock i burgesse Cardiffe i burgesse Bew moris i burgesse Harford west i burgesse As the King by aduancing any man to the honor of a Baron dooth inlarge and augmeÌ„t the number of the Lords of the higher house so dooth he also increace the number of the lower house when he dooth make and erect any new Countie or incorporate any Borough or Town so that in his letters Pattents hée dooth nominate them by the name of a Burgesse And therfore when so euer the King dooth call his high Court of Parlement the writs of summons must be sent out for choosing of Knights in the new Counties and Burgesses in the new incorporated Boroughs or Townes aswel as to the other olde and auncient Citties and Townes and euery of them shall upon such summons bée bound to appéer and haue the ful priuiledges belonging to a Knight or a Burgesse of the Parlement Post mortem vita ¶ THE DISCRIPtion of the Cittie of Excester COLLECTED AND GAthered by Iohn Vowel alias Hooker gentleman and Chamberlain of the same Cittie Floret virtus in aeternum THE DISCRIPTION OF the Cittie of Excester collected and gathered by Iohn Vowel alias Hooker gentleman and Chamberlain of the same Cittie EXcester or Exeter is a famouse and ancient Cittie béeing the Metropole and Emporium of the west parts of England scituated in the Prouince called Deuonia which is Deuonshéer Of the first foundation therof by reason of the sundry inuations of forrain and straunge nations and of their hostilities and mortall warres in burning and destroying this Cittie there remaineth no certain memoriall neither emong the records of the said Cittie nor yet in any other writer But moste certain it is that it was first builded by the Brutes or Britons for the names which they gaue vnto it are yet at these presents had in remembraunce as wel emong the Cronographers of this Realme as also emong the Cornish people who sometimes were one with this Prouince but are now in a Prouince of them selues and borderers to this béeing the remanent of the blood of Brutus For when Cadwalader King of this land by reason of a great famin and Pestilence was inforced to forsake the same and flée into little Britain which now is vnder the dicion of the French King diuers and moste parte of his people fled also some into Wales and some into Cornwall wher euer sitheÌ„ce they and after them their posteritie haue remained and continued The olde Cronographers serchers and writers of antiquities doo finde that this Cittie was called Corinia and therof the Monastary of this Cittie was called Ecclesia Coriniensis whiche name if it were first giuen as it should seem by Corineus who after the ariuall of Brutus into this land was made the first Duke of these two Prouinces of Deuon and Cornwall and who theÌ„ after his owne name called it Corinia but now Corinibia wherof this Cittie euer hath béen and is the Metropolie and Emporium and alwaies parcel sometimes of the kingdome then of the Duchie after wardes of the Earledome and now again the Duchie of Cornewall out of all dout it is of no lesse antiquitie then the said names doo importe The Britons in their tung call it by sundry and diuers names The first and eldest in remembraunce in their spéech is Cairpenhulgoyte that is to say the prosperous chéef Town in the wood as it dooth appéer by Geffery of Monmoth and Ponticus Virimus It was also called Penhaltcayr that is to say the chéef Cittie or Town vpon the hil as appéereth in the trauerse betwéen the Bishop Dean and Chapter of this Cittie and the Mayor and comminaltie of the same in a long sute concerning their liberties But the names which the Cornish people doo at these presents remember retain are Pencayr Cayrruthe Cayrriske Pencayr is to say the chéef Cittie Cayrruthe signifieth the red Cittie taking that name of the soyle of the ground whervpon it is situated which is red Cayrryske is the Cittie of Iske béeing so called and taking his denomination of the Riuer whiche fléeteth by the said Cittie called in Brittish Iske And of this name Houedon in his Cronicle maketh mentioÌ„ saying thus Anno domini 877. Excercitus danorum ab warham nocte quadam federe dirupto ad Exancester diuerterunt quod brittannice dicitur Caerwiske Ptolomeus the famose Astronomer who was about the yéer of our Lord. 162. Coel béeing King of this land nameth the Cittie Isca and the Riuer Isaca And Bale the sercher of antiquities folowing the same opinion dooth also name the Cittie Isca and the in habitant or dweller therin Iscanus But vnder correction and with reuerence be it said a man may think that Ptolomeus béeing in Alexandria and so farre distant from this Realme was happely misinformed or els the Printer mistaken because it is moste likely that the Riuer should be called Isca according to the Brittish spéech in those dayes when it was called Isca which name by traÌ„sposing of two middle letters dooth yet remain being now named Icla or Ecsa. But whatsoeuer Ptolomeus or Baleus censures and iudgements be heerin it is moste certain that the names which the Britons gaue were of longest continuance and this Cittie called by their dominations by the space of xv hundred yéeres vntil the comming of the Saxons the Pictes and Scots into this Realme whiche was about the yéer of our Lord 450 for they as they preuailed and conquered did alwaies alter and chaunge the names of all places and Townes accounting it a great parte of their glory and renown to giue new names of their owne deuice or of their owne natiue Contries for so write the Cronographers Picti Scoti Angli Daci et Normandi in hac insula rerum potiti cuncta immutarunt pro trophaeis habentes Locis a se deuictis noua imponere nomina Wherfore as of all other Citties and Townes few excepted so of this also they chaunged and altred the olde names and called it Muncketon by which name it was so called
domiciliis sunt nobilitate But the reuerence of these writers reserued this cannot be so of this Church the Charter therof witnesing the contrary declaring how that King Edward Edith his wife did put Bishop Leofricus in possession of this Sea them selues Likewise VVilliam the Conquerour in the third yéer of his reign Anno. 1069. did not onely confirme the former Charter but also at the instance and sute of VVilliam vvareweste then his Chaplain and after Bishop of the same Sea did giue vnto it the segniory of Plimpton Brampton and S. Stephens in Exeter which the said VVilliam béeing Bishop did distribute giuing Plympton to the Channōs there Brampton was afterward annexed to the Deanry but Saint Stephens with a Court Baron to the same was alwaies reserued to the Bishop and his successors wherby they are Barons and so Lords of the Parlement It was also enlarged from time to time with possessions reuenewes buildings riches priuileges by Kings Princes Prelates Bishops and sundry others as héerafter I shal particulerly touch declare by Gods grace at large in a perticuler Book therof And this one thing is to be noted that albeit there were néer iiij hundred yéeres distant from the foūdation to the absoluing therof yet is so vniformely and decently compact as though it had béen buylded at one instant The Bishop is distinct from the Channons bothe in house and reuenew his liuelihods béeing no parcel of that which doth appertain to the Church and Channons It was sometimes of great large reuenewes but the more parte therof prodigally hath béen exhaunsed by a wastful Bishop The Bishop and Chānons haue very fair houses which are situated about the Church and Cemitory and are inclosed euery night by shutting fast of certain gates wherby they claime them selues to be exempted from the iurisdiction of the Cittie In the middle therof is a very fair Conduict or fountain wher into waters by certain pipes are conueyd from certain places out of the Cittie and the same from thence conueyed to the Bishops and some of the Channons houses The Cittie it self is very populus was sometimes chéefly inhabited with Clothyers or Clothworkers of brode clothes seruing much for the Spanish and South Countries whiche were of such goodnes and substaunce as that the names of them doo yet continew in these partyes but now it is chéefly inhabited with Merchaunts Kersey Clothyers of all sortes of Artificers emong whom the Merchants are the chéefest the welthiest The gouernment of this Cittie was sometimes by foure Bayliffes called Prouostres but shortly after the Conquest there was ordred a Senate of xxxvj and in these latter dayes of xxiiij persons of the moste sober graue and wisest Cōmoners and franchised men of the same of which number one was and is yéerly chosē to be the chéefest gouernour for the yéer folowing and is called by the name of a Maior This Mayor associated with the foresaid foure Bayliffes hath the discerning of and in all maner of actions betwixt partie and partie for which he kéepeth on euery Monday a Court in the Guilde hall of the said Cittie but the Bayliffes hauing the like iurisdiction doo according to their olde and ancient customes kéep the like Courts beeing distinct from the Mayor at all dayes and times when them best liketh which their Court is called by the name of the Prouostres Court for Prouostres was their first names Thus the Maior and Bayliffes bothe ioyntly and seuerally haue iurisdiction to discerne in causes betwéen partie and partie but if the matter doo touch the Prince the Crown the common peace or the state of the Cittie and the common welth of the same then the same are decided and determined either by the Maior and Iustices or by the Mayor and common Coūcel or by the Maior him self or by some other Officer or officers according to the nature or qualitie of the cause or matter But because it requireth a large discourse to discribe the gouernment of the common welth of this Cittie the charge of euery seuerall Officer the diuersitie of officers their seuerall iurisdictions with a number of other things incident to their charges I doo minde héerafter by Gods grace at large to set the same foorth in such sort that all estates and degrées and euery perticuler Officer and other person within that Cittie shall knowe his charge Office and dutie and what to euery of them appertaineth In the mean time let it suffise that partely through good gouernment and partely of a ciuil inclinatiō the people of this Cittie as very obsequions and obediēt to the Quéen and her lawes and haue in great reuerence and awe their gouernours and Magistrates for the time béeing And this one thing is not so straunge as notable that euen from the beginning they haue from time to time béen careful for their common welth moste vigilant for the preseruation therof which as in time of peace they did wel rule gouerne so also in the troublesome times and vnquiet estates they haue moste valiantly defēded against the incurtions and assaultes of their enemyes as by the sundrye Historyes it may appéer For Aruiragus King of this land minding to stay the Realme in his ancient libertyes denyed to pay to the Romains the tribute which they demaunded wherfore Claudius the Emperour sent Vespasian the Duke of the Romain Armye into this Realme either to recouer the tribute or to subdue the land This Vespasian is he who in the xxiiij yéer after this did besiege and destroy Iherusalem wherfore the Duke landing in Torbay which was then called Totonesium littus came to this Cittie layd siege to the same with continuall assaults and batteryes for eyght dayes Aruiragus the King béeing then in the East partes and hearing of this gathereth his Armye and power marcheth towards this Cittie and incountreth with the enemye The Romain after long fight not able to preuail endeth the matter by composicion and because this shall not séem to be a deuised and fained matter I wil write the woords of foure sundry Historyes The Cronicle of the Cathedrall Church of the said Cittie hath these woords Anno dom 49. Vespasianus cum Romano exercitu ciuitatem nunc voca tam Exeter octo diebus obsedit sed minime preualuit Aruirago Rege Ciuibus auxilium prestante Gaulfride of Monmothe writeth thus Vespasianus a Claudio missus est vt Aruiragū vel pacificaret vel Romanae subiectioni restitueret cum igitur in portu in rutupi applicare Vespasianus cepisset obuiauit ei Aruiragus atque prohibuit ne portū ingrederetur retraxit itaque se vespasianus a portu illo retortisque velis in littore Totnesio applicuit nactus de inde tellurem Kayerpenhulgoite que nunc Exonia vocatur obsessurus eandem adiuit cumque diebus octo eam obsedisset superuenit Aruiragus cum exercitu suo preliumque commisit die illa valde laceratus sunt vtrorumque exercitus sed neuter est